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Transport phenomena in an agitated vessel with an eccentrically located

impeller

Article  in  Chemical Papers- Slovak Academy of Sciences · April 2011

DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0086-7

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 Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011)
DOI: 10.2478/s11696-010-0086-7

ORIGINAL PAPER

Transport phenomena in an agitated vessel with an eccentrically

located impeller‡

Magdalena Cudak, Joanna Karcz*, Anna Kie
lbus-R˛

apa
la

Department of Chemical Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin,

al. Piastów 42, PL-71 065 Szczecin, Poland

Received 2 June 2010; Revised 22 September 2010; Accepted 25 September 2010

The paper presents results of an experimental analysis of the transport phenomena at the vicinity
of the wall of an unbaffled agitated vessel with an eccentrically located impeller. Distributions of
the transport coefficients were experimentally studied using an electrochemical method within the
turbulent regime of the Newtonian liquid flow. Measurements were carried out in an agitated vessel
with the inner diameter T = 0.3 m. Liquid height in the vessel was equal to the inner diameter, H
= T. The agitated vessel was equipped with a Rushton or a Smith turbine or an A 315 impeller.
Eccentricity of the impeller shaft was varied from 0 to 0.53. Local values of the dimensionless shear
rate, shear stress, dynamic velocity and friction coefficient were integrated numerically for the whole
surface area of the cylindrical wall of the vessel. Averaged values of these quantities were correlated
with the impeller eccentricity and modified Reynolds number. The proposed Eqs. (5)–(8), with
the coefficients given in Table 2, have no equivalent in open literature concerning this subject.
Distributions of the shear rate, γ/n, and friction coefficient, f, at the vicinity of the cylindrical wall
of the unbaffled vessel equipped with eccentric Rushton or Smith turbine or A 315 impeller are very
uneven and they depend significantly on the impeller eccentricity, e/R. Maximum local values of
these variables are located on the wall section closest to the impeller blades. From among the tested
impellers, the greatest effects of the impeller eccentricity, e/R, and the liquid turbulence (described
by the modified Reynolds number ReP,M ) on the averaged dimensionless shear rate (γ/n)m and
friction coefficient, fm , are found for the radial-flow Rushton turbine located eccentrically in an
unbaffled agitated vessel.

c 2011 Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences

Keywords: transport phenomena, agitated vessel, eccentrically located impeller, shear rate, friction
coefficient

Introduction The effect of shaft eccentricity on the mixing time

Distribution of liquid velocity in an agitated vessel
depends on many factors, among others, on the type of
the impeller, presence (or lack) of baffles in the vessel,
as well as on the position of the impeller shaft in the
agitated vessel. Removing the baffles from the vessel
and displacing the impeller shaft causes disturbances
of the liquid flow in the three-dimensional space of the
agitated vessel (Str˛ek, 1981; King & Muskett, 1985;
Medek & Fort, 1985).
and mixing efficiency for an agitated vessel filled with
Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquid was investigated
by Karcz and Szoplik (2001, 2004), Szoplik and Karcz
(2005, 2008, 2009), Cabaret et al. (2007, 2008a), and
Seichter et al. (2000). Influence of the propeller ec-
centricity and the position of the measuring point on
the mixing time and liquid homogenization were ex-
perimentally examined by Karcz and Szoplik (2001,
2004). The authors showed that for axial and radial
type of impellers the mixing time decreases with the

*Corresponding author, e-mail: Joanna.Karcz@zut.edu.pl

‡ Presented at the 37th International Conference of the Slovak Society of Chemical Engineering, Tatranské Matliare,
24–28 May 2010.

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148 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011)
a n
b 90 o
ee
R ϕϕ
180 o o
0 0.6
e
H
270 o
h
D
T ϕ/
Fig. 1. Geometrical parameters of agitated vessel and positions of the measuring cathodes on the cylindrical wall.
increase of the shaft eccentricity. Cabaret et al. (2007)
experimentally and numerically analyzed the effect of
eccentricity on the mixing time and mixing efficiency.
The measurements were conducted in the unbaffled
agitated vessel with a dual shaft system. On each of
the eccentric shaft, Rushton turbine impellers were
mounted. The authors stated that employing a dual
shaft mixing system reduces the mixing time. Cabaret
et al. (2008b) experimentally investigated the influ-
ence of the impeller eccentricity on the volumetric
gas–liquid mass transfer coefficient in low- and high-
viscosity Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids. The
measurements were carried out in an agitated vessel
with single or dual impeller shaft configurations. In
dual shaft system, one impeller shaft has fixed rota-
tion whilst the second one can be operated in the co- or
counter-rotating mode of shaft impeller 1. The highest
value of the volumetric gas–liquid mass transfer coef-
ficient was observed for the agitated vessel equipped
with a dual counter-rotating shaft impeller.
The effect of shaft eccentricity on the power
consumption was investigated by Dyl˛ag and Brauer
(1976), Medek and Fort (1985), King and Musket
(1985), Karcz et al. (2005), and Cudak (2004). The au-
thors proved that for axial and radial type of impellers
the power consumption increases with the increase of
the shaft eccentricity.
Hydrodynamics of the liquid flow in the agitated
vessel equipped with an eccentrically located impeller
was studied by Hall et al. (2005a, 2005b), Montante
et al. (2006), Galletti and Brunazzi (2008), Galletti et
al. (2009a, 2009b), Karcz et al. (2005), Karcz and Cu-
dak (2004), and Cudak and Karcz (2006, 2008b, 2009).
Montante et al. (2006) investigated the mean flow ve-
locities using a combination of experiments carried out
by particle image velocimetry (PIV) and computa-
tional fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. The stud-
ies were carried out in an agitated vessel with a cen-
trally or eccentrically located Rushton turbine. Hall
et al. (2005a, 2005b) used the two-dimensional PIV
and PLIF techniques to analyze the flow velocity and
mixing time for liquid and gas–liquid systems agitated
using impellers located in a centric or eccentric posi-
tion in the vessel. The authors proved that the local
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1
z/H
0.8
0.4
0.2
0
-45 0 45 90 135 180 225 270 315 360 40
ο
values of turbulent kinetic energy are dependent on
the vessel diameter. Spatial distribution of this quan-
tity within the eccentric vessels does not depend on
the scale of the vessel. Galletti et al. (2009a, 2009b)
experimentally determined the effect of impeller ec-
centricity and the impeller blade thickness on the fea-
tures of the vortices for an agitated vessel equipped
with an eccentrically located Rushton turbine. Gal-
letti and Brunazzi (2008) studied hydrodynamics in
an unbaffled vessel using Laser Doppler Anemometry
(LDA), flow visualization and decoloration techniques.
Karcz and Cudak (2004) and Cudak and Karcz (2006,
2008a, 2008b, 2009) experimentally investigated the
effect of high-speed impeller type, location of the im-
peller in the vessel, and of the measuring point on
the wall on the axial and angular distributions of the
heat and momentum transfer coefficients. These val-
ues were compared with averaged values of the heat
transfer coefficient in a jacketed agitated vessel (Karcz
& Cudak, 2002, 2006; Cudak, 2004).
This paper presents the results of an experimental
analysis of the transport phenomena at the vicinity
of the wall of an unbaffled agitated vessel equipped
with an eccentrically located radial-flow Rushton or
Smith turbine, or a mixed-flow A 315 impeller. These
momentum transfer results are considered to take into
account power consumption in the agitated vessel.
Experimental
Investigations of the transport phenomena were
carried out using an electrochemical method. In the
study, an unbaffled agitated vessel with the inner di-
ameter T = 0.3 m and the working volume V = 22
dm3 was used (Fig. 1a). Liquid height in the vessel
was equal to the inner diameter, H = T. The agi-
tated vessel was equipped with a Rushton or Smith
turbine (Z = 6) or an A 315 impeller (Z = 4). Table 1
presents geometrical parameters of the used impellers.
The impeller was placed at the distance h = 0.33H
from the flat bottom of the vessel. The eccentric-
ity of the impeller shaft was varied within the range
e/R ∈ 0; 0.53. The measurements were carried out
for 128 points with axial (z/H ∈ (0; 1)) and angular
 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011) 149
Table 1. Geometrical parameters of impellers

No. Impeller a/D b/D Z β RCD

1. Rushton turbine (RT) 0.25 0.2 6 – –

2. Smith turbine (CD 6) 0.25 0.2 6 – b/2
3. A 315 0.34 0.5 4 45 –

1 1 1 1 1 1

a b c
0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0

0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0

z /H
z /H

z /H
0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0

0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0

0 0 0 0 0 0
0 25 50 75 100 0 25 50 75 100 0 25 50 75 100
γ /n γ /n γ /n

Fig. 2. Dependence γ/n = F(z/H) for the agitated vessel with eccentrically located impeller; e/R = 0.4; ϕ = 0◦ ; a) Rushton
turbine; b) Smith turbine; c) A 315 impeller;
– Re = 2.3 × 104 ; – Re = 3.8 × 104 ; – Re = 6.9 × 104 . •
(ϕ/2π ∈ 0; 1) coordinates on the cylindrical wall of where CAo /(kmol m−3 ) is concentration of component
the vessel (Fig. 1b). A (where A denotes K3 Fe(CN)6 ), DA /(m2 s−1 ) is dif-
The aqueous solution of the electrolyte consisted of fusion coefficient, F/(C kmol−1 ) stands for the Fara-
0.01 kmol m−3 potassium ferricyanide (K3 Fe(CN)6 ), day’s constant, Id /A for diffusion current, Rc /m for
0.05 kmol m−3 potassium ferrocyanide (K4 Fe(CN)6 ), radius of cathode, and ze is the number of electrons
and 0.5 kmol m−3 sodium hydroxide (NaOH). Vis- taking part in the reaction;
cosity of the electrolyte solution was approximately – shear stress
equal to water viscosity at the temperature of 20 ◦C.
Distributions of the transport coefficients were exper- τ = ηγ (2)
imentally studied within the turbulent regime of the
Newtonian liquid flow. The experimental method was where η/(Pa s) is dynamic viscosity;
described in detail by Karcz (1996), Karcz and Abrag- – dynamic velocity
imowicz (2000), and Str˛ek and Karcz (1999). In this 
method, the measuring digital voltage signal was sam- τ
ν∗ = (3)
pled 200 times at each measuring point (Fig. 1b). Dif- ρ
fusion current, Id , representative for a given measur-
ing point was automatically calculated on basis of the where ρ/(kg m−3 ) represents liquid density;
average value of the sampling. Size of the sampling – friction coefficient (Wichterle et al., 1985)
was chosen experimentally. The tests showed that rep-
resentative locally averaged values for the measuring τT 2
f= (4)
point obtained from the 200 and 500 samples do not ρn2 D4
differ statistically within the range of the turbulent
flow. where D/m denotes the agitator diameter, n/s−1 agi-
In this method, local values of the shear rate, γ, tator speed, and T/m the vessel inner diameter.
shear stress, τ , dynamic velocity, v*, and friction coef-
ficient, f, proportional to the diffusion current, Id , are Results and discussion
calculated as follows:
– shear rate (Wichterle et al., 1984, 1988; Žák, In total, about 9500 experimental points of the dif-
1986) fusion current, Id , were obtained based on the mea-
surements carried out within the turbulent regime of

3 the fluid flow in the agitated vessel (Re ∈ 2.3 × 104 ;
Id 7 × 104 ). Local shear rate, γ, shear stress, τ , dynamic
γ= (1)
2/3
2.156zeF DA CAo Rc
5/3
velocity, v∗ , and friction coefficient, f, were calculated

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150 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011)

1 1 1 1 1 1

a b c
0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0

0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0

z /H

z /H

z /H
2
0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0

0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0

0 0 0 0 0 0
0 30 60 90 120 0 30 60 90 120 0 30 60 90 120
γ /n γ /n γ /n

Fig. 3. Dependence γ/n = F(z/H) for the agitated vessel with eccentrically located impeller; e/R = 0.4; ϕ = 270◦ ; a) Rushton
turbine; b) Smith turbine c) A 315 impeller;
– Re = 2.3 × 104 ; – Re = 3.8 × 104 ; – Re = 6.9 × 104 . •
1 1 1 1 1
a b c
0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

z /H

z /H

z /H
0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2

0 0 0 0 0
0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2
f e /R /f e /R =0 f e /R /f e /R =0 f e /R /f e /R =0

Fig. 4. Dependence fe/R /fe/R=0 = F (z/H) for the agitated vessel with a) Rushton turbine; b) Smith turbine; c) A 315 impeller;
Re = 6.9 × 104 ; ϕ = 90◦ ; – (e/R = 0.53)/(e/R = 0);
– (e/R = 0.4)/(e/R = 0).

from Eqs. (1)–(4), respectively. In this way, the sets
of local values of γ and f on the cylindrical vessel wall
were obtained as a function of the impeller type, shaft
eccentricity, e/R, impeller speed, n, as well as of the
axial and angular coordinates (z, ϕ).
Figs. 2 and 3 present axial profiles of the dimen-
sionless shear rate, γ/n, for angular coordinate ϕ =
0◦ or ϕ = 270◦ . For all types of agitators shown in
Figs. 2 and 3, i.e., Rushton and Smith turbines and A
315 impeller, the regions in which two local maxima
of the distribution function γ/n = F(z/H) occur were
found. First of them is located in the zone under the
agitator at the level z/H = 0.25, whereas the second
local maximum is situated at the level of half of the
liquid height in the agitated vessel (z/H = 0.5). As it
results from the experimental data shown in Figs. 2
and 3, the values of these local maxima depend not
only on the agitator type but also on the angular co-
ordinate ϕ. In case when angular coordinate ϕ = 0◦
(Fig. 2), locally higher values of the maximum of the
dimensionless shear rate, γ/n, occur at the level of the
vessel wall described by the dimensionless axial coor-
dinate z/H = 0.5. However, the highest local values of
γ/n correspond to axial coordinate z/H = 0.25 (region
under the agitator) in case when the angular coordi-
nate ϕ = 270◦ (Fig. 3). In general, axial distributions
of the dimensionless shear rate, γ/n, on the cylindrical
vessel wall are less regular for the radial flow turbines
and the A 315 impeller compared to the profiles ob-
tained for the propeller and the HE 3 impeller (Karcz
et al., 2005).
The effect of shaft eccentricity, e/R, on the dimen-
sionless axial distributions of the friction coefficient,
fe/R /fe/R=0 , obtained for the Rushton and Smith tur-
bines as well as for the A 315 impeller, is shown for
both values of the angular coordinate, ϕ, in Fig. 4 (ϕ
= 90◦ ) and Fig. 5 (ϕ = 270◦). Local values of coeffi-
cient f for the eccentric position of the shaft (e/R =
0) are related to data for the centric one (e/R = 0) in
the respective figures. Therefore, differences between
the centric and eccentric position of the shaft in the
agitated vessel can be additionally estimated from the
profiles fe/R /fe/R=0 = F (z/H). Following from the
analysis of the fe/R /fe/R=0 = F (z/H) distributions
in Figs. 4 and 5, local values of the friction coefficient,
f, for the eccentric position of the impeller shaft are

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 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011) 151

1 1 1 1 1
a b c
0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

z /H
z /H

z /H
0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2

0 0 0 0 0
0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4 0 1 2 3 4
f e /R /f e /R =0 f e /R /f e /R =0 f e /R /f e /R =0

Fig. 5. Dependence fe/R /fe/R=0 = F (z/H) for the agitated vessel with a) Rushton turbine; b) Smith turbine; c) A 315 impeller;
Re = 6.9 × 104 ; ϕ = 270◦ ; – (e/R =0.53)/(e/R = 0);
– (e/R = 0.4)/(e/R = 0)

1.0 1.0

a b
0.8 0.8

0.6 0.6
< 36
z/H

z/H

< 60 < 32
0.4 < 52 0.4 < 28
< 44 < 24
0.2 < 36 0.2 < 20
< 28 < 16
< 20 < 12
0.0 < 12 0.0 < 8
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
< 4 < 4
ϕ /2π ϕ /2π

Fig. 6. Dependence γ/n = f(z/H, ϕ/2π) for the agitated vessel with an eccentric impeller; εm = 0.03 W kg−1 ; e/R = 0.53; a)
Rushton turbine; Re = 2.3 × 104 b) propeller; Re = 5.1 × 104 .

generally higher than those for the centric one, ex- pumping propeller (Fig. 6b) of the following geomet-
cept for the A 315 impeller and angular coordinate rical parameters: d/D = 0.33; Z = 3; S/d = 1 (Karcz
ϕ = 90◦ (Fig. 4c). Moreover, local values of coefficient et al., 2005), assuming the constant mean energy dis-
f increase with the increase of the shaft eccentricity, sipated, εm , of 0.03 W kg−1 . The type of liquid cir-
e/R, for the radial flow turbines, especially in the re- culation (radial or axial flow) imposed by both stan-
gion of the vessel wall described by the dimensionless dard impellers affects dramatically the distributions
axial coordinate z/H ≤ 0.5. of the dimensionless shear rate in the wall region of
Figs. 6 and 7 present two-dimensional distributions the agitated vessel. In case of the radial flow Rush-
of the dimensionless shear rate γ/n = f(z/H, ϕ/2π) ton turbine (Fig. 6a), the highest values of γ/n are
for a given type of the impeller, the highest eccen- characteristic for the region of the wall described by
tricity of the impeller (e/R = 0.53) and the assumed axial coordinate z/H = 0.33 (region of the impeller)
constant value of the mean energy dissipated (εm = and the closest location to the impeller (ϕ/2π = 0 (=
const.). Constant value of the mean energy dissipated, 1)).
εm , calculated for different types of impellers, cor- Completely different distributions of the function
respond to different values of the Reynolds number γ/n = f(z/H, ϕ/2π) were observed for a system with
for mixing process (defined as follows Re = nd2 ρ/η). the up-pumping propeller (Fig. 6b). In this case, the
These figures present the maps of dimensionless shear zone of the highest values of γ/n is situated on the
rate, γ/n, on the cylindrical wall of the agitated ves- part of the wall described by both dimensionless coor-
sel, i.e., in the region described by dimensionless axial dinates: axial z/H > 0.33 and angular within the range
and angular coordinates within the range z/H ∈ 0; 1 ϕ/2π ∈ 0.5; 0.9. Moreover, locally highest values of
and ϕ/2π ∈ 0; 1. In Fig. 6, the data obtained for the dimensionless shear rate, γ/n, for the agitated ves-
the radial flow Rushton turbine (Fig. 6a) were com- sel equipped with the up-pumping eccentric propeller
pared with the results obtained for an axial flow up- (Fig. 6b) were by about 40 % lower than those ob-

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152 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011)

1.0 1.0

a b
0.8 0.8 < 48
< 52 < 44
0.6 < 48 0.6 < 40
< 44 < 36

z/H
z/H

< 40 < 32
0.4 < 36 0.4 < 28
< 32 < 24
0.2 < 28 < 20
0.2
< 24 < 16
< 20 < 12
0.0 < 16 0.0 < 8
0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0
< 12 < 4
ϕ /2π ϕ /2π

Fig. 7. Dependence γ/n = f(z/H, ϕ/2π) for the agitated vessel with an eccentric impeller; εm = 0.05 W kg−1 ; e/R = 0.53; a) A
315; Re = 3.8 × 104 b) HE 3 impeller; Re = 5.9 × 104 .

Table 2. Values of parameters a–d in Eqs. (5)–(8)

Impeller a b c D ±∆/%

(γ/n)m

Rushton turbine 1.580 0.076 –0.475 0.785 2

Smith turbine 1.577 0.066 –0.177 0.486 2
A 315 0.929 0.085 –0.249 0.217 2

fm

Rushton turbine 75.27 –0.31 1.164 1.179 5

Smith turbine 95.12 –0.34 4.354 –0.807 3
A 315 31.02 –0.30 0.479 0.168 5
vm

Rushton turbine 8.342 × 10−6 0.22 –0.225 –0.050 2

Smith turbine 6.708 × 10−6 0.23 –1.037 0.343 2
A 315 7.992 × 10−6 0.22 0.200 –0.196 2

τm

Rushton turbine 1.640 × 10−7 0.42 –0.482 0.049 5

Smith turbine 2.623 × 10−8 0.47 –0.901 0.162 2
A 315 9.234 × 10−9 0.51 0.545 –0.521 5

tained for the system with the eccentric Rushton tur-
bine (Fig. 6a).
Distributions of the dimensionless shear rate, γ/n,
for the agitated vessel with eccentrically located im-
pellers with modified blades, i.e., A 315 or HE 3 im-
peller, are compared in Fig. 7 for a constant value
of the mean energy dissipated, εm = 0.05 W kg−1 .
Geometrical parameters of the down-pumping HE 3
impeller were as follows: d/D = 0.33; Z = 3, β = 30◦ .
For both impellers compared, the zones of locally high-
est values of γ/n are located on the part of the wall
identified by the dimensionless axial coordinate z/H <
0.33 and the closest vicinity to the vessel wall (ϕ/2π
= 0 (= 1)). In case of the agitated vessel with the
HE 3 impeller (Karcz et al., 2005), the zone of the
highest values of γ/n is significantly wider (Fig. 7b)
compared to the data describing the agitated vessel
equipped with the A 315 impeller (Fig. 7a). In gen-
eral, the shape of the two-dimensional distributions
of the dimensionless shear rate obtained for a system
with the eccentric A 315 impeller (Fig. 7a) differs sig-
nificantly from the data describing systems with the
eccentric HE 3 impeller (Fig. 7b), propeller (Fig. 6b),
and the Rushton turbine (Fig. 6a).
Local values of γ/n, τ , v ∗ , and f were numeri-
cally integrated on the surface area of the wall of the
cylindrical vessel. Each of obtained averaged values of
(γ/n)m , τ m , v∗m , and fm was correlated with the shaft
eccentricity, e/R, and the modified Reynolds number,
ReP,M . This dimensionless number is defined as fol-
lows: ReP,M = (P/M)ρ3 T 4 /η 3 . In this definition: P de-
notes power consumption and M = Vρ the liquid mass.
Power consumption was determined in our study us-
ing the strain gauge method. In comparison to the

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 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011) 153

1 1

0.8 a 0.8 b

10-2–2
ffmm×x 1022

0.6 0.6

ffm ×x 10
0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

0 0
1 10 100 1000 1 10 100 1000
,M ×x 10
–12
P ,M×x10
–12
ReP,M 10-12 RePP,M
Re 10-12

Fig. 8. Dependence fm = F (ReP,M ) for the agitated vessel with centrally or eccentrically located impeller a) e/R = 0; b) e/R =
0.53; •
– Rushton turbine;
– Smith turbine; – A 315.

Re number for the mixing process (defined as Re = caused by the lower number of blades (Z = 4) of the
nD2 ρ/η), employing the modified Reynolds number, A 315 impeller compared with the six-bladed turbines.
ReP,M , in the empirical correlations is more advan- It is worth to notice that values of the friction coeffi-
tageous as the mean specific energy required for the cient, fm , for both Smith turbine and A 315 impeller
agitation is taken into account in this definition. Av- located centrally in the agitated vessel are practically
eraged values of the shear rate, shear stress, dynamic equal (Fig. 8a).
velocity, and friction coefficient were approximated us-
ing the following equations Conclusions
γ     e 
b e 2 Distributions of the shear rate, γ/n, and friction
= aReP,M c +d +1 (5)
n m R R coefficient, f, at the vicinity of the cylindrical wall of
    an unbaffled vessel equipped with eccentric Rushton
e 2 e
b or Smith turbine or the A 315 impeller are very uneven
fm = aReP,M c +d +1 (6)
R R and they depend significantly on the impeller eccen-
   e  tricity, e/R. Maximum local values of these variables
∗ b e 2 are located on the wall section closest to the impeller
vm = aReP,M c +d +1 (7)
R R blades.
   e  Effects of impeller eccentricity, e/R, and modified
b e 2
τm = aReP,M c +d +1 (8) Reynolds number, ReP,M , on the averaged values of
R R
the shear rate, (γ/n)m , shear stress, τ m , dynamic ve-
Values of coefficients a–d in Eqs. (5)–(8) and the locity, v∗m , and friction coefficient, fm , are described
mean relative error ∆ are given in Table 2. These with good accuracy by Eqs (5)–(8). These equations
equations describe the results of measurements within have no equivalent in open literature concerning this
the range of the shaft eccentricity e/R ∈ 0; 0.53 and subject.
the modified Reynolds number ReP,M ∈ 6.5 × 1012 ; From among the tested impellers, the greatest ef-
6 × 1014 . fects of the impeller eccentricity, e/R, and the liquid
Averaged values of the friction coefficient, fm , cal- turbulence (described by the modified Reynolds num-
culated from Eq. (7) as a function of the modified ber, ReP,M ) on the averaged dimensionless shear rate
Reynolds number, ReP,M , are compared in Fig. 8 for and friction coefficient were found for the radial-flow
different impellers located at the centric (e/R = 0; Rushton turbine located eccentrically in an unbaffled
Fig. 8a) or eccentric (e/R = 0.53; Fig. 8b) position agitated vessel.
in the agitated vessel. Coefficients fm significantly in- Acknowledgements. Financial support of the study was par-
crease with the increase of the impeller eccentricity, tially provided by the National Grant Foundation (Grant KBN
e/R, for all tested impellers. Assuming constant val- 7 T09C 029 21).
ues of both ReP,M (ReP,M = const.) and impeller ec-
centricity (e/R = const.), the highest values of fm cor-
respond to the radial-flow Rushton turbine (Figs. 8a Symbols
and 8b). Compared to the eccentric Rushton turbine,
almost two times lower values of fm were obtained a length of agitator blade m
for the eccentric Smith turbine. Therefore, the effect b width of agitator blade m
of blade curvature on the friction coefficient is very CAo concentration of component A (where A
strong. At the eccentric position, the lowest values denotes K3 Fe(CN)6 ) kmol m−3
of fm characterize the A 315 impeller. This effect is D diameter of agitator m

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154 M. Cudak et al./Chemical Papers 65 (2) 147–155 (2011)

DA diffusion coefficient m2 s−1 Cudak, M., & Karcz, J. (2006). Momentum transfer in an agi-
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Dyl˛ag, M., & Brauer, H. (1976). Leistungsbedarf bei exzen-
f friction coefficient trischer Anordnung des Ruehrers. Verfahrenstechnik, 10(10),
H liquid height in vessel m 637–640.
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Id diffusion current A and instabilities in an unbaffled vessel agitated with an ec-
n agitator speed s−1 centrically located impeller. Chemical Engineering Science,
P power consumption W 63, 4494–4505. DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2008.06.007.
Galletti, C., Pintus, S., & Brunazzi, E. (2009a). Effect of shaft
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Rc radius of cathode m tures in an unbaffled vessel. Chemical Engineering Research
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